EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Integrated Community Security

Integrated Community Security - Düsseldorf, Germany

Introduction

How to develop and maintain an integrated community security involving all relevant partners - the case of Düsseldorf, Germany.

Description

Security in Düsseldorf is being optimised by making it a cross-sectional task across departmental boundaries. The standard of security in Düsseldorf has been achieved on the basis of consistently integrating preventing and repression, and by involving organisations operating in the field.

Approach

The central element in the Düsseldorf concept is a prevention and security task force, set up in 1994 with representatives of the city council, youth organisations, municipal agencies, business associations, the public prosecution service and the police. This task force is concerned with superordinate crime prevention issues.
The task force has set up problem oriented project groups like the project group drugs, safe housing, victim protection or civil courage.
The project group drugs is composed of representatives of the police, citizens, the public prosecution service, local transport enterprises and a drug aid association. The main task is to improve cooperation between repression and prevention organisations. The group has developed a methadone programme and organised a drug prevention event in schools.
The other project groups are all composed of relevant representatives and aim to improve cooperation in the field.
Previously independent field services of the public order office and parks department combined to constitute a municipal order and service unit, OSD. This unit is trained by and cooperates with the police. The unit has a staff of 80 and carries out patrols until 01:30 to enforce general street regulations.
Installation of video surveillance in busses and trains and the underground stations. Demonstrating the presence of the law in stations through joint patrols of the police and OSD.
The crime prevention council of the Düsseldorf municipality decided to measure the effectiveness of planned measures through a effects research report. This report is made by criminologists, psychologists and social scientists.

Results

The many favourable reactions from residents, business people and visitors to the city confirm that the subjective sense of security has increased remarkably.
The level of public disorder, public drugtaking and aggressive begging has fallen considerably. Police statistics for 2002 show an 9% fall in drug offences compared to 2001.
The elimination of the open drug scene has led to many drug addicts avoiding Düsseldorf, normalisation of the life in the area around the main station and the tripling of demand among Düsseldorf addicts for inclusion in the municipal methadone programme.
In 2002 the crime prevention council bases its policy upon the effect research report of the previous year. Not all policy effects can be measured. The research report of 2001maked clear that some rethinking is necessary on traditional principles of social prevention. Early prevention measures go hand in hand with severe repression of crime.

Contact info

City of Düsseldorf
Mr Werner Leonhardt (co-ordinator security and prevention policy), tel. +49 2118993795

Project start date

17/06/2004

Links

Integrated Community Security policy of Düsseldorf - project description in English City of Düsseldorf

Leitlinien wirkungsorientierter Kriminalprevention Düsseldorf (PDF, Ger, 1 MB)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Security & crime prevention > Crime prevention

Keywords

Camera surveillance